The impact and cost of insecurity resulting from violent extremism is enormous and is a risk to Kenya’s development agenda. The radicalization and violent extremist phenomena are disproportionately impacting youth and women from marginalized areas. Organized radicalised groups in the region have successfully capitalised the perceived or real economic deprivation, marginalization, poor governance, land issues, and poverty to radicalize and recruit the bulging youth population into violent extremist and terrorist acts.

Key Issues

Over 70% of Kenya’s population is less than 30 years of age. There is high sense of disenfranchisement for the bulging youth demographic resulting from unemployment and limited livelihood choices and social and political marginalization.

Historical sub-national economic and social development disparities which existed before the institutionalization of the devolved system of governance.

Kenya’s porous borders with unstable states such as Somalia and South Sudan.

UNDP intervenetions targets picenter, spillover and at-risk communities where youth and women are at risk of both radicalization and are victims of violent extremist acts. These communities include: The Northern Kenya border regions (Garissa, Mandera, Marsabit, and Wajir); the Coastline border region of Kenya (Kilifi, Kwale, Tana River, Lamu, Mombasa) and parts of Nairobi and Isiolo Counties.